Above: Video of the scene of the explosion via YouTube user drumcircler.
We're a little late on the uptake on this. (Blame the elections.) The State Police reported on Monday that a house on Giardina Lane in Saugerties exploded on Monday afternoon. A 16-year-old who was nearby at the time of the blast suffered a concussion due to the explosion, and was treated and released.
The police are guessing that the cause of the explosion was a propane leak.
Today, the Daily Freeman reports that Saugerties Police Chief Louis Barbaria has determined that the explosion was accidental, despite initial fears that it was an intentionally-set bomb:
Barbaria on Wednesday said investigators are reasonably confident that the explosion was accidental. “Our first concern was that the explosion was caused by an explosive device,” Barbaria said. He said two state police explosives technicians responded to the scene on Monday and gathered evidence to make a determination of cause. “They’re ruled out criminal activity, so it appears the explosion was accidental,” he said.
Press release from the New York State Police:
The New York State Police in Kingston and the Town of Saugerties Police are investigating an explosion that completely destroyed a house located at 2 Giardina Ln. in the Saxton Fire District that occurred at 2:56pm on November 7, 2011.
The investigation into the cause of the explosion is continuing; however, the preliminary determination is that the explosion was caused by a propane gas leak within the residence.
A 16 year old neighborhood child who was walking on Valk Rd. in the area of the explosion suffered concussion type injuries as a result of the blast for which he was treated and released.
The owner and only occupant of the residence was not home at the time of the explosion.
The State Police were assisted at the scene by the Saxton and Centerville-Cedar Grove Fire Departments,the Ulster County Arson Task Force, Diaz Ambulance and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Dept.
